Getting a Handle on Emotional Eating! by C.A. Elliott

It happens to the best of us: you open a bag of cookies intending to eat “just one,” and suddenly you find yourself holding an empty bag, with no real recollection of scarfing down the whole thing. Or maybe after a tough day at work, you come home and bury your troubles in a deep dish pizza or a pint of ice cream.

Sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish between your body’s true hunger signals and the messy emotional hunger for something much deeper. If you feel caught in an endless cycle of mindless or emotional eating, you can take steps to conquer it. Here are a few suggestions to curb emotional eating and establish healthy habits that nourish you from the inside out.

Ask yourself, ‘Am I hungry?’ before you eat anything.

This simple question can have a huge impact on your eating behaviour. If you’re hungry, by all means have something to eat. But if you’re not hungry, see if you can identify exactly what emotion you are feeling. Are you bored? Angry? Frustrated? Stressed? Resentful? Once you can name the emotions that are driving you to eat, you can take steps to deal with them.

Be present with your food.

Take the time to experience your food while you’re eating it. This means chewing carefully (and slowly!), appreciating the aroma, noting how your food looks on your plate, including the colours and textures, and how it feels in your mouth (soft, crunchy, spicy, greasy, sweet, rich, bitter, etc.).

Also, don’t eat while doing other things. It’s hard to pay attention to your food when you’re hunched over the computer, watching television, driving, or standing at the kitchen counter. Sit down at a table and make eating your activity.

Nourish your body.

We live in a time when so many of us are overfed yet undernourished. We consume empty calories, excess sugar, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, toxins, artificial flavours and chemicals designed in labs to drive us to eat more. No wonder we’re constantly snacking!

A nutrient-dense diet based on whole foods, filled with complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, quality protein, vitamins and minerals, will make you feel satisfied and satiated, and reduce the likelihood that you’ll reach for a cookie at midnight.

Eliminate temptations.

It’s hard to snack on sugary sweets or salty foods when they aren’t in the house. Raid your pantry and eliminate all of the foods you make a beeline for when your eating is driven by emotion. If you need to snack on something, have healthy options on hand like fruits and pre-cut veggies so if you’re eating, at least you’re supplying your body with valuable nutrients. AND REMEMBER – we are heading into the “Silly Season” (at least I call it that as far as food temptation goes!) so DISCIPLINE IS KEY! Learn how to say NO to all the sweets and baked goods that are going to find their way into your workplace. Trust me – you will feel better having done so! But if you DO give in to a little temptation…don’t beat yourself up – remember the “If you ate it – negate it” mindset – think about the “activity” you can do to burn off the bad!

What are your best tips for handling emotional eating? Feel Free to Share !

Wishing everyone a safe, happy and FIT Holiday! All the best for 2015 and thank you for your support!

“Peace, Love and Fitness” __

Protein Powders – What’s the Right One for You ? by C.A. Elliott

Most of you have heard about the benefits of Protein and why it’s SO important to have at every meal ! But due to busy schedules, sometimes a Protein Shake may be your best option to make sure you get your daily protein allotment. Several factors can determine what TYPE of protein is best for you:

1. Your Diet / Tolerance Level – i.e. – if you are lactose intolerant then you would want to steer away from Protein complex with Egg and Milk base (which many have) – a better choice would be Soy Protein Powder. If you don’t have lactose issues then read on ! 2. Your Activity Level – most protein powders are fine for everyday consumption. However Casein Powder is a heavier blend and is normally used when training or to have at night before bedtime for “muscle recovery” / keep you satiated during sleep. They also help with keeping your blood sugar stabilized throughout the day. Mixing with milk slows digestion as well. 3. Rule of Thumb: Active individuals should consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. I always go with 1 – 2 scoops of Powder per Shake. Each scoop should have 25 – 30 grams of protein PER SCOOP ! This is why you should really take the time to read the labels ! Some powders like the ones in Wal Mart etc. are sold in bulk and often you have to use scoops to get that much protein ! Take a look at the Nutrition Label below and you will see what I mean…grms of protein per scoop AND no Sugar !) Be careful with sugar content when choosing Protein Powders. Quality sources of protein other than protein powders include, fish, chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef, eggs and low fat dairy. 4.Taste – there are so many different types / flavors that once you narrow down to a few good ones (which I will attempt to do!) then flavor is the next challenge ! I have Chocolate, Banana Creme and Vanilla always around because I like to change up the taste and get bored with the same one all the time. 5.”Mix” – When you are making a shake you can use water, milk or juice as the base. (I stay away from Juice because of the Sugar content and usually only have it once a week (Sat.) as a treat ! What I really LOVE is Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk. It comes in Plain, Vanilla and Chocolate and I buy Chocolate and Vanilla (always Unsweetened) and use it as base as well as put it on Cereal. I have got off Milk completely ( 1 cup of Skim Milk has 13 grms of Sugar !) You can buy it at most grocery stores now and is often found in the health food section. And it’s cheap ! Now for the Protein. I go to Popeye’s in Ajax http://www.popeyescanada.com/ to buy my supplements as they have a wide variety of everything. My go-to for Protein Powder is “4 Ever Fit – 4 Ever Whey Protein Powder” – http://www.popeyescanada.com/inf_4everfitWheyIsolate.php Pics attached. I can’t say enough about this product ! (I should be a spokeswoman!) – A trainer recommended it to me and then I spoke to the rep at Popeye’s in Ajax and he further explained the benefits – AND the other fact is that Protein Powders go by weight – ideally you want the Protein to be 75% + by weight of what you are buying. It’s more “pure Protein” – “4 Ever Fit” is by far the best price point for the size ! 4.4 lb container usually runs $39.99 which is a good price.

If I am training for something heavy like a Race then I sometimes go with MyoFusion by Gaspari. http://www.popeyescanada.com/inf_gaspari_myofusion.php It’s more heavy duty complex mix. Little more expensive as well.

These are the optimal times of usage for the varying protein powders: Postworkout- 30-50 grams whey protein isolate in a postworkout drink with 30-100 grams of carbs. Do not mix with milk after training as this will slow digestion. Bedtime- 25-40 grams.of a sustained release protein like casein. I only do this is I am late and can’t get a decent meal into meal. Sleep is when are body is repairing and recovering. Consuming protein before bed lessens the harmful effects of cortisol increases that can occur during sleep. Although whey is a good source of protein before bed, a sustained-release protein powder is better because the aminos will be released at more gradual rate over a period of 6-8 hours. You can buy casein but it’s VERY thick ! Don’t think you will need it anyway. Morning- Immediately upon awakening. Your body has been fasting through the night and is in need of protein AND WATER !! I always tell my clients as soon as they get out of bed – drink a half bottle of water !!! Your body has just gone 6-8 hours without water !! Would you do that during the day ??? NO ! If time restraints don’t permit an egg white omelette, (I love the Simply Egg Whites liquid) I make scrambled eggs with Feta Cheese and Red Peppers. You can also mix whey protein in a bowl of cooked oatmeal. I also use Cinnamon as a sweetner. You can find Protein Powders at the Health Food Stores – they would sell diff brands and would be more expensive for less volume. GNC is also a good place to find these types of products.

Peace, Love and Fitness

Carole Anne =)

“Get Out Of Your Own Way!” by Dale Andrew

Identifying and removing your limiting factor is probably the single biggest thing you can do to help you accomplish your health and fitness goals. Your limiting factor is the number one thing that is stopping you from living an unreal life.   Being able to crystallize what can seem like several obstacles into one limiting factor is not always easy, but it can make the difference between a good coach and a great coach, and make for amazing results that are entirely predictable.  Dr. John Berardi has identified 5 Limiting Factors. Here is my take on what JB had to say:

1. Genetics:

We all have DNA that makes us unique, but we are certainly more similar than we are different. Some people are taller, some even can tolerate carbohydrates better, but very few people come close to approaching their genetic potential. Further, most people don’t even use conscious thought to direct their actions 85% of the time! This may be a factor for some but it is a crutch on which most of us simply can’t stand.

1. Physiology:

If you have a disease or condition that is causing hormonal imbalances, pain, etc, this certainly can be the number one thing in your way to losing fat, gaining muscle, enjoying life more, or improving sport performance. While it can be impossible to remove some physiological issues, they need to be identified and treated if you desire the best personal outcome.

1. Exercise and Activity Level:

While it is popular to think that being in great shape hinges on how many push ups you can do or what your training program looks like, it usually doesn’t have as much to do with things as you’d like to think. If you are sedentary, taking less than 5,000 steps per day, however, you may not be moving enough to create the negative energy balance you require to lose body fat.

1. Mindset:

Some people need to be pushed, some need their hands held, and some others need to be protected from themselves. Some look for ways to succeed, others are afraid of failing. Personally, I have always been amazed how changing someone’s body can change how they view the world. However, it is important to remember that there is always an impact – be it positive or negative. One person may be propelled by confidence and compliments, while another may feel further defeated if they don’t get the results they want. The key lies in how you see yourself in the mirror – always the hardest person to see.

1. Nutrition:

Without a doubt, if we’re being honest with ourselves, nutrition is almost always the limiting factor for most. What you put in your mouth has the capacity to change your health, body composition, and performance from a cellular level all the way up. So many people I’ve met over the years will say “I know what to eat, I just got to lose 60 pounds,” or “I eat healthy, but I am tired all the time,” or I eat lots of vegees but I’m sick a lot.” Is it really possible, to eat healthy food and be 60 pounds overweight, tired, or sick all the time? Yes, but it is highly unlikely. It is more likely that in these cases, they may have been suffering from constipation! It can take a long time to learn and an even longer time to understand how your diet directly impacts your life.

Hopefully, this makes you think critically about what you’re doing, and maybe even make you consider a new approach if things are not working as well as you’d like. I have successfully worked with clients in every category above at different times over the last 15+ years, and I know I can help you when you’re ready, too. Send me an email at dale@bodyfit.ca.